Modhura Palit is the Indian Women at Cannes No One is Talking about but Definitely Should!
You must have witnessed our beloved actresses such as Deepika, Sonam and Priyanka in glorious gowns and designer dresses but here’s one Indian woman who bended it like Beckham but sadly, no one paid her the attention she deserves!
She came, she saw, and she conquered like no other Indian at the 72nd Festival de Cannes! We’re talking about the winner of the 2019 Angenieux Special Encouragement Award, Modhura Palit, who became the only Indian women to have won the prestigious honour at the at the Pierre Angenieux ExcelLens in cinematography ceremony.
The honour is given to young and aspiring cinematographers who have proven their talent in the said field. Modhura is an alumna of the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute. She is also an alumna of Asian Film Academy (AFA), Busan. She is a member of the Eastern India Cinematographers Association (EICA). Despite being such a talent in the field of cinematography, Modhura was quite shocked when she was announced the winner.
“It feels quite unreal, to be honest. It is very difficult for me to fathom the weight of this. It feels like a pat on the back at the end of a good shot. Of all the hardships I've faced and taboos I've broken, this award gives me a sense of validation. As if all this struggle was worth it,” she says.
Modhura has worked on three feature films and various short films, including the award-winning, Paper Boy, which was based on the story of little boys of Kolkata and their hardships! She was also the director and editor of the film The Girl Across The Stream, which was a part of as part of the 2015 Looking China Youth Film Project. ‘Meet Sohee’ was another award-winning film Palit worked on during Busan International Film Festival. Apart from films, Modhura has also worked in various commercials and TVCs.
Looking at her journey as a cinematographer, Modhura always knew she wanted to be a cinematographer, but despite the support from her family, the journey was as stressful as it was exciting for the young filmmaker.
“The women who are cinematographers in India are warriors. They are fighting a battle against patriarchy, social norms, and their own biology — balancing home, kids and a 100-men crew on a shooting floor,” she says.
She also spoke to a source about the challenges that women face in this male-dominated field. “The underlying philosophy that cinematographers should be brawny men, tossing the camera up and down like a football, should change. Women cinematographers are a big culture shock to many. Puritans don’t know how to deal with women directors of photography, especially the idea of being ordered by female heads of departments. The society has gendered our job and associated social parameters to it. Breaking these norms is still an uphill task.”
However, she also believes that with the help of organizations such as Indian Women Cinematographers Association (IWCA), Women Making Films (WMF), and Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), it is possible for women in the industry to achieve gender balance and get international recognition as film makers.
